


Delayed for Destiny

by 8Verity8



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Anal Sex, Bottom Merlin, Christmas, Happy Ending, M/M, Merlin Holidays 2018, Our boys are too cute, Rimming, There was only one bed!, Top Arthur, Travel Delays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-22 17:12:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17063774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8Verity8/pseuds/8Verity8
Summary: Arthur just wants to get home so he can celebrate Christmas with his friends and family, instead he's stuck in an airport in the middle of nowhere, USA thanks to a snowstorm, and the outlook doesn't seem good. He's already managed to lose his temper and piss off the counter agent... At this rate he's going to end up crashing on the airport floor.Thankfully,  a dark haired stranger comes to his rescue. Arthur's very own Christmas miracle. There's something about him Arthur can't quite put his finger on... but maybe, just maybe, this might end up being a wonderful Christmas after all.





	Delayed for Destiny

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GeekLover](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeekLover/gifts).



> Merry Christmas [GeekLover!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeekLover/pseuds/GeekLover)
> 
> I had so many ideas for this it was hard to choose one and get started! I hope you enjoy what I have come up with!
> 
> MERRY CHRISTMAS!

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Arthur exclaimed as his frustration finally got the best of him. “First I get bumped from my flight because _you people_ can’t count correctly! And now you’re telling me I can’t even get on the next flight leaving?”

 

“I’m sorry sir, but the policy—”

 

“I don’t care about your stupid policy!” he yelled, cutting the counter agent off. “I paid for my ticket and I should get what I paid for. When you make a mistake you should fix it, not make the problem worse. If you overbooked my flight then I should have had priority on the next flight out, so why wasn’t I on that last plane?”

 

“Hey man, give her a break. It’s not like she can control the weather. She’s just trying to do her job—”

 

“Excuse me?” Arthur snapped, turning to glare at the man behind him in line. “Why don’t you keep your nose out of it and mind your own business, yeah?”

 

“It’s kind of hard to mind my own business when your yelling loud enough for the whole terminal to follow along,” the man scoffed.

 

Arthur turned back to the counter agent, who had a smug smile on her face, “Please have a seat, Mr. Pendragon. We’ll call you up when we have an available seat.”

 

“You haven’t heard the last of this,” Arthur muttered, snatching his boarding pass and documents from the counter before storming off to find somewhere to sit in the overcrowded airport.

 

He finally flopped onto the ground in a back corner, placing his carry-on next to him and laying his coat across the top before dropping his head into his hands with a sigh. There was no way he was going to make it home in time for his sister’s holiday party. Morgana was never going to forgive him.  

 

It was their tradition each year, on “Christmas Eve” Eve, to get together with their closest friends for a holiday dinner and to exchange presents. Despite his hectic schedule Arthur had made sure to never miss the important things and to always be there for his family and friends… until now. Arthur groaned as he pulled out his phone, immediately noticing the latest text from Morgana demanding a status update.

 

He took a deep breath and exhaled again with a deep, resigned sigh as he pulled up her number and hit the call button. Morgana picked up before the first ring could be completed, as if she had been watching her phone intently, just waiting for him to call.

 

“Tell me you have good news,” she demanded without so much as a hello.

 

“I—” he began before switching tactics. “Morgana, I’m so sorry!”

 

“No, that’s not good enough, Arthur! You can’t miss Christmas!”

 

Arthur felt horrible. They didn’t have any extended family so holidays in general tended to be rather subdued in the Pendragon household, but Christmas was the worst because Arthur’s mom had died around Christmas. His dad tried for their sake, but there was always a melancholy air about the place that was less than cheery. The celebration with their friends _was_ their Christmas, and now Arthur was going to miss it, because he’d been forced to take a last-minute trip to put some fires out at work.

 

“I tried everything Morgana. I was even willing to fly coach!”

 

They both knew that he was only half joking. Arthur absolutely hated to fly in anything less than business class on principle, so it told her, as nothing else could, how dire the situation was. Morgana’s response was cut off by a sudden chorus of groans and muffled swearing from the crowd at the airport gate, prompting Arthur to tune in to the announcement being made over the PA system.

 

**“Attention, passengers. Due to inclement weather, all flights have been canceled until further notice. Please see—”**

 

“Damn it!” Arthur swore. “Morgana, I’ve got to go. They’ve canceled all flights out. I’ve got to figure out what I’m supposed to do next.

 

“Okay,” Morgana answered quietly. “Take care of yourself, okay? And keep us updated.”

 

“I will,” Arthur promised before hanging up and making his way to the long line that snaked from the gate counter.

 

By the time he reached the counter, over two hours had passed. He was able to get himself put on the First-Class standby list, but quickly discovered that the airline’s contingencies for overnight accommodations were woefully inadequate. When the agent had discovered that there were no more available hotel rooms with any of the airline’s partners, she had shrugged and given him a half-hearted apology that rang false to his ears.

 

A quick search on his phone showed that most of the small city’s hotels were already booked up. Arthur felt a wave of self-pity as he resigned himself to a night spent in the airport. At least he would be the most likely to get onto the earliest flight out, since he’d be right there.

 

He grabbed his luggage and started scouting out locations. Maybe there was a lounge around here somewhere… with a couch. He might be able to store his belongings for safe keeping there, as well, and he should check out the boutique shops too. See if he could snag himself a pillow and a blanket for the night.

 

“What are you still doing here?” a curious voice said, interrupting his thoughts. “I thought a posh prince like you would have been long gone by now. Not waiting to take the shuttle with the rest of us.”

 

Arthur looked up and saw the same black-haired man from the line earlier. Although he knew he was being baited, he simply didn’t have the energy anymore to rise to the challenge, so answered the question honestly instead.

 

“Not waiting for the shuttle,” he told him. “I was talking to my sister and missed the first announcement. Couldn’t get a room.”

 

“It’s not like you need the voucher though, right? You can get a room somewhere else.”

 

The man’s voice had turned softer, losing the sharper edge it’d had before, as his lips turned down in a concerned frown.

 

“No, I don’t need the voucher, but if there’s a room left in this city, I haven’t been able to find it,” Arthur replied with a sigh. “I should probably try and get a blanket and pillow before those sell out too.”

 

He gave the stranger a small smile and a brief nod goodbye as he grabbed the handle of his suitcase, already looking up and down the terminal to try and spot the closest store that might meet his needs.

 

“You could stay with me!”

 

Arthur was brought up short by the stranger’s outburst, “What?”

 

“I mean, I was able to get a room. You could stay with me if you want. I promise, I’m not crazy. It’s just, I mean, it has to beat crashing in the airport, right? Most of those rooms have two beds anyways and, I mean. Well, you don’t have to if you don’t want, I just thought—”

 

Arthur stared in fascinated silence as the man rambled on, words spilling forth in a quick, jumbled mess that blurred together. He found himself becoming mesmerized by the movement of his lips, coming back to himself with a start when the stranger cut himself off, his pink tongue darting out quickly to wet his plump lower lip, before dragging his teeth across it nervously.

 

“Are you sure?” Arthur asked breathlessly, quickly looking away, hoping he hadn’t been caught staring at the man’s lips.

 

“Yeah,” the man said before giving him a cheeky grin. “I can always kick you out if you decide to be an ass.”

 

“I promise to _not_ be an ass,” Arthur promised drily, rolling his eyes as he did so.

 

“Good, we should get along fine then,” he said before thrusting his hand at Arthur. “I’m Merlin by the way.”

 

“Arthur,” he responded, grasping Merlin’s hand with a smile.

 

~

“Oomph,” Arthur huffed, slamming into Merlin, who had come to an abrupt stop in front of him.

 

“Well, that’s just typical,” Merlin muttered in front of him.

 

“Any time, Merlin,” Arthur said, trying to keep the irritation from his voice.

 

“Oh right, sorry.”

 

Merlin scrambled into the room with Arthur close behind. With his view no longer obstructed, he was able to see what had gotten Merlin all flustered. The king-sized bed in the middle of room or, more accurately, the singular king-sized bed that dominated the room with nothing more than a solitary chair and a desk next to it.

 

Arthur rolled his eyes. “We’re both adults Merlin and the bed is more than big enough for the both of us, but if it bothers you that much, I can sleep on the floor.”

 

“No, no,” Merlin replied hastily, a bright flush staining his cheekbones. “It’ll be fine!”

 

His voice pitched high at the end, making Arthur’s lips twitch in amusement as Merlin hastily threw his bag on the bed and started digging through his things furiously. After grabbing what looked to be a toiletries bag and some pajamas, he made a mad dash for the bathroom, calling dibs as he went in before slamming the door in Arthur’s stunned face.

 

“I’m going to order some room service then,” Arthur called after him, coming to his senses quickly. “You want anything?”

 

There was a muffled thump and a curse from the bathroom before Arthur heard the water turn on. He was going to assume Merlin hadn’t heard him. After locating the room service menu, he picked up the phone and called down to the hotel restaurant to order dinner for himself, adding some extra fries and crab cakes for Merlin, just in case. They could always call down again if he wanted something else.

 

It was only a short while later that a knock sounded at the door, just as Arthur was stepping out of his own shower. Merlin had emerged from the bathroom faster than Arthur would have expected, giving him a sheepish look as he came out. Arthur had figured he had enough time before the food arrived and had jumped at the chance to finally be clean. He hastily toweled off and slipped into his pajamas as his stomach gave an expectant growl reminding him how long it had been since he had least eaten anything.

 

Walking out, he saw Merlin peering curiously under each of the lids, although he gave a startled yelp and jumped back quickly when he caught Arthur watching him, causing the metal lid to clang down noisily. Arthur couldn’t help laughing at the sight.

 

“My god, your face,” Arthur managed as he fought to bring himself under control. The disgruntled look Merlin was currently giving him wasn’t helping matters any.

 

“Seriously, who needs this much food anyways,” Merlin grumbled sullenly.

 

“Some of its for you,” Arthur told him with a grin. “I didn’t know what you wanted so I ordered a few things I thought you might like.”

 

“You didn’t have to do that,” Merlin protested, looking embarrassed.

 

“Please,” Arthur said, waving him off. “It was the _least_ I could do.”

 

“Why don’t you see if there is something to watch on the telly while I grab some towels, so we don’t accidentally make a mess on the bed,” Arthur added.

 

Arthur caught Merlin’s blush again as he looked between Arthur and the bed before quickly turning away to find the remote. By the time Arthur returned and had spread the food out, Merlin had settled on a CSI re-run.

 

“God, does this show bring back memories,” Arthur said with a laugh. “Back in my college days, my friends and I used to watch this, but we came up with these totally ridiculous drinking games to play while we did.”

 

“Sounds fun,” Merlin said with an answering grin. “We had quite a few back in the day too. I think most of them centered around Star Trek or Dr. Who, though.”

 

“I know I’ve played a few with Dr. Who, but I’m not sure I’ve ever played one with Star Trek before. Old Trek or new?”

 

“Oh, both! We had one for each of the different show and even a few of the movies,” Merlin laughed. “Like you had to take a drink every time Spock raised his eyebrow or any time Shatner overacted his lines.” Merlin explained.

 

“Jesus, how did you all not die of alcohol poisoning?” Arthur scoffed with a smile.

 

“Very carefully,” Merlin replied drily, the twinkle in his eyes giving him away. “So, what are the rules of this game? Maybe we can play—”

 

“Sure. Find some paper and a pen and I’ll see what they have in the mini-bar!”

 

A short while later they had their drinks prepared and Arthur’s laptop was open on the bed with the rules of the game pulled up. Merlin had given him some shit, initially, for looking online when he couldn’t remember all of the rules, but in the end they decided it was just easier this way. Arthur finished his food while they waited for the current episode to finish—after they had both agreed that it was simply not the done thing to start a drinking game in the middle of an episode.

 

They made it through about two episodes before it became apparent that they were too drunk to really play the game anymore. Brief side comments turned into more in-depth—though no less silly—discussions or debates before they tune back into the show again by mutual agreement. Only for one of them to randomly yell “drink” which would then prompt another round of alcohol and endless distractions.

 

Moans and the sound of a whip brought Arthur’s attention back to the TV after a rousing discussion about Michio Kaku trickled off. “Oh I love this one! This is the one with the dominatrix, right?”

 

“Yeah, I think so,” Merlin agreed. “She’s the one that gets Grissom all riled up.”

 

“So how about you?” Arthur asked, the alcohol loosening his lips. “Is that the kind of woman who gets you _all riled up,_ Merlin?”

 

Heat pooled in Arthur’s stomach when Merlin gave him a cocky smirk in reply, canting his head to the side for a moment as if trying to decide whether to answer Arthur’s question or not. Arthur watched him and waited, not realizing he had been holding his breath until he released it in a surprised huff when Merlin finally answered.

 

“Woman, no. Now if a man wanted to dominate me like that… well then. That might just do the trick.”

 

Merlin winked at him, taking another sip of his drink as he looked thoughtfully at Arthur. “What about you? Is that the kind of _woman_ who does it for you?”

 

Arthur shook his head slowly, his eyes never once wavering from Merlin’s intense gaze.

 

“Then what _does_ do it for you, Arthur?” Merlin brought his glass to his mouth, dragging the rim along his lower lip as he waited for Arthur’s answer.

 

Arthur debated playing it cool, throwing out a few more jokes and innuendos before steering the conversation back into easier territory, but what the hell? Why not take a chance? He was in a hotel room, halfway across the world, with someone he would never have to see again if he didn’t want to.

 

“I’m not sure really,” Arthur answered honestly. “I’ve dated a lot of people, both men and women. Only a few would be what I considered good relationships and I was still too busy struggling with the concept of sex to even think about what ‘ _did it for me,’_ back then. When I got older it seemed like everyone was just after me for my money or my status… none of it ever felt real. It felt like they were always trying to be who they thought I wanted them to be, so it didn’t feel like I ever really got to know them, so how could I _know_ if I liked them, I mean. I’ve never had the opportunity to figure out what I ‘ _like’_ in a person, if that makes sense.”

 

Merlin opened his mouth to respond, but Arthur continued before he could say anything. “I know that’s not what you were really asking.  I mean, I know you were asking about sex and I know what I’m attracted to porn-wise and all that, but I’ve never really done a whole lot in real life, so how can I know if I really like it, you know? I just never felt comfortable bringing it up with any of my partners before, I guess.”

 

“So…” Merlin began hesitantly, giving Arthur the chance to interrupt before he continued on with more confidence. “What kinds of things are you attracted to, porn-wise?”

 

Arthur finished the rest of his drink in a few quick gulps before collapsing back onto the mattress, staring at the ceiling rather than Merlin as he started answering the question, thinking aloud as he went. “Hmmmm, I like it rough, I think. I like the domination aspect, but I think I would rather be the one in charge in that kind of scenario. Who knows though? I might like both. I don’t really watch a lot of guy/girl porn because the girls always annoy me…”

 

Merlin snorted next to him at that, prompting Arthur to look over at him. Merlin gave him an encouraging grin, which Arthur returned. The alcohol was making him feel all warm and fuzzy as he continued.

 

“Come to think of it, I can’t really think of any common themes in the porn I like to watch. It really just depends on my mood at the time. Sometimes I want to watch two guys spoon and be all soft as one slowly fucks into the other, sometimes I’m in the mood to watch a guy face fuck another or to watch a man get pinned to the bed while he’s fucked roughly from behind. My go-to at the moment is a threesome where two of the guys have blindfolded the third—the slave—and are using him for their own pleasure. There’s a scene where the older guy is fucking into the slave while the younger rides the slave’s face… and then the older guy leans forward and starts rimming the younger guy….”

 

Arthur’s voice trailed off.

 

Merlin released a shaky breath.

 

“Damn,” he said finally.

 

Arthur’s breath caught in his throat as he glanced over and caught Merlin palming himself through his tented pajama pants. His own cock gave an interested twitch as he licked his suddenly dry lips. His eyes darted up to Merlin’s face to see if he had noticed and met Merlin’s deep blue gaze.

 

Seeing the invitation in Merlin’s eyes, Arthur lunged up and captured Merlin’s sweet, plump lips with his own, marveling at the softness before he felt them give way, opening for him. Reaching up, he cradled Merlin’s face gently in his palm as he inched his body closer, deepening the kiss as his other arm wrapped around Merlin to pull him in tight.

 

He didn’t know how long they stayed like that, slotted snugly together from head to toe, but Arthur never wanted it to end. The kisses started off gentle at first, as did their first touches. They caressed lightly over clothed skin before hesitantly dipping below. Sweet kisses and soft licks quickly turned into something messier and more desperate. Teeth and tongues clashed together sloppily, before ripping away to bite and suck at smooth, white skin. Light touches grew frantic as they gripped and pulled at one another, trying to get closer, to get more friction as they grinded against each other.

 

Merlin pulled back, gasping for air, tugging at Arthur’s shirt. “Clothes. Off.”

 

In a daze, Arthur hurried to obey, peeling off his shirt and flannel pants and throwing them somewhere behind him as he watched Merlin do the same. As soon as they were done, they crashed together once more in a tangle of limbs on the bed, picking up right where they had left off.

 

Arthur was quick to roll Merlin onto his back, pinning him to the bed as he started slowly licking and kissing his way down his body. Every once in a while Arthur would bite down, just to hear the sharp hiss that escaped Merlin’s lips. It was always followed shortly after by a soft moan as Arthur’s tongue lavished the mark to soothe the sting.

 

He dedicated extra attention to Merlin’s nipples until the pretty pink nubs were swollen and red. They were so sensitive that the faintest brush of Arthur’s breath made Merlin gasp and writhe beneath him as he continued his torturous explorations, nuzzling at Merlin’s hip bones before bypassing Merlin’s cock to taste the silky skin of his inner thighs.

 

“Turn over,” Arthur commanded, desire deepening his voice and making the order come out harsher than he had intended.

 

Merlin whimpered and looked like he was going to protest, but then must have seen something in Arthur’s expression because he turned over obediently without another word.

 

“Good boy,” Arthur praised before his brain could catch up. A momentary shot of panic went through him, but he relaxed again when he realized that Merlin was enjoying it.

 

“You like that?” Arthur purred, leaning down over Merlin’s back to whisper in his ear. “You like doing what you’re told? Being a good boy for me?”

 

“Yes,” Merlin whined. “I want to be good for you.”

 

“Fuck,” Arthur growled. “Please tell me you have condoms and lube—”

 

“My toiletry bag on the bathroom counter,” Merlin answered quickly, moving to go grab them.

 

“No, you stay. I got it,” Arthur told him, pushing him back down. “Get on all fours for me and wait here.”

 

It only took a moment, searching through Merlin’s things to find what he needed. The sight that greeted him when he came back into the room made his painfully hard cock twitch between his legs, ripping a moan from him as he knelt on the bed behind Merlin.

 

Dropping the lube and the condoms to the side for a moment, Arthur leaned forward and grasped the smooth, firm cheeks of Merlin’s ass in each of his hands, kneading the flesh gently before pulling the pale globes apart to expose Merlin’s tightly furled hole.

 

“Mmmmmm,” the appreciative sound sprang unbidden from Arthur’s mouth as he dipped his thumbs into Merlin’s crack to rub back and forth experimentally along the sensitive skin. Merlin began to shake under him as he lightly traced the tightly puckered rim of Merlin’s entrance. He could tell Merlin was fighting to hold still under the onslaught of Arthur’s teasing, to not push back against Arthur’s hand and take what he wanted—what he needed.

 

“Such a good boy for me,” Arthur praised, smiling to himself as he got comfortable. He was going to make Merlin scream.

 

Merlin cried out, slamming his fist against the mattress with the first flick of Arthur’s tongue across his hole. By the time Arthur had relaxed the muscle enough to work his tongue past the rim, Merlin’s hands were fisted in the coverlet and Arthur had to keep a firm grip on his hips to keep him still.

 

He withdrew, inhaling deeply as went, moaning as his senses were assaulted with Merlin’s unique scent. Merlin was panting wantonly beneath him as he wriggled back in, sucking along the rim and licking deeply into his channel. He took his time giving Merlin this most intimate kiss, relishing each whimpered moan and quiet gasp before he speared his tongue again to thrust forcefully back in, fucking Merlin open with his tongue. Merlin was such a good boy, opening up beautifully beneath him and begging for more.

 

“Please, Arthur,” Merlin gasped. “Please, I need—”

 

“Shhhhh,” Arthur soothed, petting lightly along Merlin’s hip as he grabbed the condom and the lube with the other.

 

He put the condom on quickly, covering himself in a generous amount of lube as he continued to praise and soothe Merlin bringing him back from the edge just so he could push him right back over it.

 

“Ready?” Arthur asked, bringing the head of his cock to Merlin’s entrance and teasing him gently as he waited for permission to take what he wanted.

 

“Yes! God, yes,” Merlin cried. “Would you _please_ fuck me already?”

 

He reached back to grab at Arthur’s leg, pulling at him to emphasize his point. Arthur was more than ready, more than willing to give Merlin what he wanted. Lining himself up with Merlin’s hole he pushed in steadily, watching as Merlin’s pink rim stretched around the head of his cock as he slowly worked his way in, Merlin writhing beneath him and begging for more.

 

They both let out a sigh of relief when Arthur bottomed out. Harsh breaths filled the room as Arthur fought the overwhelming pleasure of Merlin’s tight heat, giving Merlin time to adjust to the stretch. Arthur began slowly pulling out when Merlin’s hips started writhing beneath him, silently urging him to move.

 

He fought the instinct to immediately slam back in, working his way slowly, back and forth, until Merlin was slamming his hips back eagerly to meet each downward thrust. Only then did he pick up the pace, reaching forward to wrap a protective arm around Merlin’s waist as Merlin collapsed to the mattress beneath him. Covering Merlin completely, Arthur bit down on the back of his neck, marking Merlin as his as he continued thrusting his hips frantically, driving his cock, hard and unrelenting into Merlin’s needy ass. Arthur finally managed to drag the coveted scream from Merlin lips as he came, shuddering beneath Arthur and painting the bed with his cum.

 

Arthur tried desperately to fuck Merlin through his orgasm, but hearing Merlin scream out his name in that blissed out voice was too much and it sent him right over the edge. Merlin’s hole was still spasming when his orgasm overtook him. All he could do was hold on tight as the most intense pleasure he had ever felt washed over him, whiting out everything and leaving him stunned.

 

They both came back to themselves quietly, their frantic breaths and the background noise from the TV breaking up the silence as Arthur fought to calm his racing heartbeat. Merlin was the first to speak, although his head was pillowed in his arms so Arthur only caught half of what he said.

 

“Wow. That was—fuck… Just, wow.”

 

“What?” Arthur said with a small laugh as he pulled out gently and rolled to the side, pulling the condom off discreetly and tossing it towards the wastebasket under the desk.

 

“I don’t even know,” Merlin grinned, turning his head to smile at Arthur. “That was pretty amazing though. At the risk of inflating your ego, I would even argue that is some of the best sex I’ve ever had…”

 

“Well, my ego definitely likes hearing that,” Arthur joked before his voice grew soft. “But yeah, I have to admit that was definitely something else for me, too.”

 

Merlin’s answering smile was ruined by a large yawn, which of course set Arthur off.

 

“Stop that,” he grumbled, trying to close his mouth as he searched the nightstand for the clock.

 

“I can’t help it, I’m tired,” Merlin replied sleepily.

 

“And no wonder, it’s already past three in the morning,” Arthur told him gently. “Here get under the covers before you pass out, I’m going to set an alarm.”

 

Alarm set, Arthur climbed into bed, rearranging his pillow so he could snuggle more comfortably against Merlin. Once settled, Arthur wrapped an arm around him and pulled him in tight, smiling to himself when Merlin reached up to link their fingers together. He was still smiling as he drifted off to sleep.

 

~

 

The plane landed at Heathrow airport and slowly taxied to the runway. Arthur looked out the window as the terminal came into view and found he had mixed feelings about being home. On the one hand, it was nice to be home and he was looking forward to seeing Morgana and even his father—after he got some sleep that is. But it also meant that the tiny pocket of time he had spent with Merlin, just the two of them, off in their own little world, was coming to an end.

 

They had been lucky enough to get on to the same return flight home, Arthur even braving coach in order to make it happen. Merlin had teased him relentlessly on the flight back, but since Arthur had also managed to snag a date out of the deal, he definitely felt that the cramped seats and substandard food had been worth it.

 

After deboarding, Arthur had walked with Merlin to pick up his luggage, chatting amicably about where they should go on their date next Friday. Arthur’s natural inclination was to wine and dine Merlin in style, but Merlin had been quick to veto that plan, insisting that he would come up with something before then. Arthur had kept needling him for a clue, or any detail at all really, until Merlin had declared that it was going to be a surprise and Arthur would just have to wait until Friday to find out. Unfortunately, Merlin seemed like the kind of guy who would stick to his guns and be stubborn about something like this…

 

“Well, I guess I’ll see you this Friday,” Arthur said with a small smile as they made it to the curb, fighting back the nasty feeling that was settling in the pit of his stomach at the thought of leaving Merlin.

 

He refused to say goodbye. He hated that they had to part at all. He didn’t know what it was, but there was something about Merlin, he could feel it. He knew there was something there, that this was it for him, and all he wanted to do was grab Merlin’s hand and run with it.

 

“Yeah,” Merlin said softly. “I don’t want to go yet, though—”

 

“I know, but you have to, your mum is waiting for you and it’s Christmas,” Arthur replied gently.

 

“So, you’re heading straight over to your Dad’s house then?” Merlin asked curiously.

 

“No, I’ll probably head home and get some sleep,” Arthur told him honestly. “Since Morgana is spending Christmas day with her in-laws and we didn’t know if I would make it home in time, I encouraged him to go visit some friends. With my mom and everything I didn’t want him to be alone.”

 

“So, what your saying is that you’re going to spend Christmas day alone,” Merlin said slowly, like he couldn’t quite believe the words coming out of his mouth.

 

“It’s no big deal,” Arthur told him. “I already missed the big Christmas get togethers I usually go to—”

 

“No, no, no. I refuse. You can’t be alone on Christmas!” Merlin exclaimed. “I couldn’t enjoy my day knowing you were at home, all alone! There’s nothing for it, you’ll just have to come home with me.”

 

“What?” Arthur asked, stunned by the offer, even though a giddy warmth was already spreading through him at the thought of being able to spend more time with Merlin. Celebrating Christmas with him was like his own Christmas miracle.

 

“You should come home with me,” Merlin explained excitedly, before his face fell. “I mean, if you want to, that is. You don’t have to—”

 

“I would love to!”

 

Arthur’s shout startled several passengers walking nearby, but had also managed to cut off Merlin’s spiral of self-doubt, successfully putting a smile back on his face.

 

“Great! Let’s go then!” Merlin said, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the bus terminal.

 

“Why don’t we take my car?” Arthur offered hurriedly, tugging Merlin in the other direction. “It’s parked in the garage and will get us there a lot faster.”

 

“That’s brilliant,” Merlin agreed, changing directions. “I can’t wait to introduce you to my mum, she is going to love you!”

 

Arthur grinned, tagging along behind Merlin as he marched with determination towards the parking garages, marveling at what a difference a Christmas snowstorm could make. He had only known Merlin for 36 hours and yet the man had already managed to turn his life completely upside down and he realized he didn’t want to have it any other way. It felt like he had known Merlin forever, like his soul had found its other half and he was finally coming home.

 

“Oh my god, she’s gonna end up liking you better than me, damn it!”

 

Merlin’s sudden outburst pulled Arthur from his thoughts. With a fond laugh, he pulled Merlin in for a kiss.

 

“Of course she is,” Arthur told him primly. “I’m quite lovable you know.”

 

“You’re a prat is what you are,” Merlin retorted, snuggling more deeply into Arthur’s arms.

 

“Yes,” Arthur agreed. “But, I’m your prat.”

**Author's Note:**

> I think this falls under the "(Holiday) Strangers who Travel together" ask. 
> 
> & has the following from the wish list:
> 
> \- Sharing a bed  
> \- Rimming  
> \- Happy Ending
> 
> Thank you all for reading, I hope you enjoyed the experience as much as I enjoyed writing it!
> 
> Comments and kudos feed my muse and encourage me to keep writing! Let me know what you thought.


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